Cultivating Physical and Mental Wellness: The Impact of Storytelling and Puzzle Sessions on Generational Change.

In the urban landscape of Chennai, a pathologist, deeply concerned about the future of the younger generation, initiated a community-driven initiative aimed at fostering physical and mental wellness among children. Through a blend of captivating storytelling and stimulating puzzle sessions, the initiative sought to combat trends of laziness, gadget dependency, and poor dietary habits prevalent among youth. The sessions, designed to engage young minds while imparting valuable life lessons and problem-solving skills, garnered remarkable responses from participants and parents alike. Children previously disengaged or branded as slow learners or attention deficit by their peers and parents also displayed increased curiosity and attentiveness, underscoring the efficacy of interactive learning experiences. Lessons gleaned from the initiative highlighted the innate love for stories, the joy of puzzles, the impact of shared experiences, parental influence, the importance of healthy habits, moral education, and the listening skills of children. This conclusion was derived based on the consistent observations made during the sessions, where children's increased attentiveness and participation, particularly those with attention deficit, were noted through qualitative assessments and feedback from parents, alongside informal behavioral evaluations conducted throughout the initiative. The journey not only transformed the initiator into a nurturing storyteller but also influenced her role as a mother, emphasizing genuine interaction and empathetic communication. The call to action emphasizes proactive measures to instill positive habits and values in children, prioritizing holistic development over traditional measures of success. By investing in storytelling, puzzle-solving, and empathetic mentorship, stakeholders can empower future generations to navigate life's challenges with resilience and compassion. Ultimately, the power of storytelling lies in its ability to captivate, inspire, and shape the hearts and minds of individuals across generations, paving the way for a brighter tomorrow.

Design requirements for a digital storytelling application for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Background: The current digital storytelling applications present advantages for individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI); however, there exists a notable oversight regarding their potential to facilitate group-based storytelling activities with this population. This study endeavors to identify design requirements for a more inclusive and accessible digital storytelling tool for people with MCI. Method: The methodological framework encompasses distinct stages, commencing with focus groups and interviews (Stage 1), followed by prototyping workshops (Stage 2) and qualitative prototype testing (Stage 3). The comprehensive three-stage research involved participants residing in Beijing, China, including 43 people with MCI aged 65-95 years (M = 79.09, SD = 8.99), with a mean Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 21.91 (range = 18-26, SD = 2.40). Additionally, 17 care partners and 10 occupational or clinical therapists actively participated. Result: The culmination of the three-stage research process has yielded 12 discernible key design requirements. Preferred storytelling themes center around narratives designed to elicit positive emotions. The narrative material generation process involves a systematic approach, unlocking memories through carefully formulated questions. In memory retrieval, users are provided with hints, bolstering confidence and perpetuating a semblance of face-to-face interaction. The focus in story sharing lies in transcending mere narration and extending it to a wider audience. Conclusion: This case study centers on crafting a digital storytelling application to enhance social connections for people with MCI. It delves into crucial design requirements addressing memory challenges, emphasizing individual preparation and group sharing. The developed digital storytelling application demonstrates potential to offer valuable memory support and foster personal and collective connections. Future research will focus on formal testing to evaluate these outcomes.

Using Digital Stories to Show the Lived Experience of Antimicrobial Resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) impacts the quality of life of many people; however, patient experiences are often missing from public discourse. This paper outlines how using digital storytelling as a participatory research method can go beyond clinical understandings of AMR to show the lived experience from the perspective of those affected by AMR. Connecting with these personal stories can raise public awareness and understanding of the need to combat this global health challenge and identify novel solutions.

The Impact of Storytelling about an Innovative and Sustainable Organic Beef Production System on Product Acceptance, Preference, and Satisfaction.

Food labels and storytelling are marketing tools used by the food industry to highlight and communicate important product characteristics to consumers. By using these tools, food companies can influence consumers' attitudes toward the product and potentially the likelihood of purchase. In the present study, we investigated how storytelling about an innovative and sustainable organic beef production system influenced participants' preference and acceptance of a veal steak product and, further, if some information characteristics were more important than others for consumer satisfaction. Without being aware that the samples were identical, participants (n = 224) tasted two veal steak samples: one steak sample was presented with information about the production system, and the other without information. Results showed that when the steak sample was presented with product information, compared to without information, it received significantly higher hedonic ratings (overall liking, liking of flavor, and liking of texture). This was likewise reflected in a greater preference for the steak sample when presented with product information. Furthermore, product information was found to positively impact the participants' satisfaction with the steak sample regardless of their preference. Overall, our results suggest that the use of storytelling about the innovative and sustainable product system for veal steaks can positively influence consumers' attitudes toward the product.

Advocacy through storytelling: challenging eating disorders and eating disorders stigma.

BACKGROUND: Although eating disorders (EDs) are among the most stigmatised mental illnesses, a number of individuals break past this stigma and engage in ED advocacy by sharing their recovery stories. Little is known, however, about the role of such advocacy in their healing journeys. METHODS: To bridge this gap, the authors examined the role of autobiographical oral storytelling in the ED recovery of adult advocates. Autobiographical oral history interviews were carried out with adult advocates (n = 16) recovering from EDs. The data were analysed using a mixture of actantial and thematic analyses. Authors also used activity theory to categorise how storytelling was translated into concrete social actions. Results were then interpreted through frameworks of embodiment and the intersectionality of identity. RESULTS: Advocates chose to share their ED stories as a way to embody resilience and make meaning from their ED experiences. Beyond personal gains, the social benefits of sharing their stories included raising hope and openness to converse further with audiences, advocating for greater ED resources (e.g., ED literacy among school staff), and offering new training initiatives for healthcare professionals. The ties between storytelling and the unique aspects of one's identity are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Engaging in advocacy through storytelling can positively affect both the advocates and the audiences with whom they connect. Future studies, informed by feminist biopsychosocial frameworks, can examine storytelling as a therapeutic intervention. Such frameworks serve as alternatives to biomedical models of EDs and mental illnesses. They also emphasise the need for broader changes that destabilise oppressive body cultures and display how storytelling can help mobilise change.

Eating disorders (EDs) have been identified as one of the most stigmatised mental illnesses, making it difficult for individuals to seek professional help or disclose their mental health situation. Nevertheless, a handful of individuals become advocates who combat this stigma by sharing their personal struggles and ongoing healing journeys. The researchers of this study used a narrative-based approach to analyse the experiences of such advocates while identifying the personal and social benefits of their storytelling advocacy. The outcomes of this study suggested that advocates found these storytelling initiatives to be deeply meaningful because they were able to reflect on how far they have come while increasing hope among audiences that recovery is possible. The findings from this research support the ongoing need for novel interventions against ED stigma, including the potential to incorporate storytelling as a way to normalise conversations on EDs while enhancing the resilience of individuals undergoing recovery.

Recounting the untold stories of breast cancer patient experiences: lessons learned from a patient-public involvement and engagement storytelling event.

OBJECTIVES: Breast cancer remains a prevalent disease in women worldwide. Though advancements in breast cancer care have improved patient survival, a breast cancer diagnosis, and subsequent interventions have a lasting impact on patients' lived experiences during the pandemic. METHODS: We present the collaborative learning process from this patient engagement workshop series as a community-academic partnership. Narrative medicine tools were used to recount patients' lived experiences following diagnosis, where both patients and researchers shared their cancer research activities in each workshop, and the role of the multidisciplinary healthcare team was discussed. KEY FINDINGS: We used an iterative approach to cohort building, narrative development, and the use of multiple media formats to capture stories. Over 20 patients with breast cancer shared their stories for the first time since their diagnosis with a wider audience. Here, we present the learning process and considerations from this event. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding patients' lived experiences can support researchers and healthcare professionals in developing an empathetic approach to shared healthcare decision making. Moreover, understanding the lived experiences of patients is critical to addressing disparities in healthcare.

Developing a Life Story Intervention for Older Adults With Dementia or at Risk of Delirium Who Were Hospitalized: Multistage, Stakeholder-Engaged Co-Design Study.

BACKGROUND: Older adults with chronic or acute cognitive impairment, such as dementia or delirium, who are hospitalized face unique barriers to person-centered care and a higher risk for negative outcomes stemming from hospitalizations. There is a need for co-designed interventions adapted for these patients to the hospital setting to improve care and outcomes. Patient life storytelling interventions have demonstrated promise in enhancing person-centered care by improving patient-care team relationships and providing information to enable care tailored to individual needs and values. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to engage patients, care partners, and clinical stakeholders in a co-design process to adapt an existing life storytelling model for use with older adults with dementia and at risk of delirium in the acute care hospital setting. METHODS: We recruited patients with dementia or at risk of delirium who were hospitalized, their care partners, clinicians, and informaticists. A 3-stage co-design process that used a mixed methods data collection approach including in-depth interviews and surveys was completed. We used content analysis to analyze qualitative data and descriptive statistics to summarize quantitative data. RESULTS: In total, 27 stakeholder informants (ie, patients, care partners, and interdisciplinary care team [IDT] members) participated. Stakeholders were unanimously interested in using patient life stories as a tool for hospital care through electronic health record (EHR) integration. Stakeholders shared potential topics for life stories to cover, including social support, information on patients' key life events, and favorite activities. Participants provided insights into the logistics of integrating life stories into acute care, including interview arrangement, story-sharing methods, and barriers and facilitators. IDT members shared preferences on EHR integration, resulting in 3 co-designed mock-ups of EHR integration options. Stakeholders shared ways to optimize future acceptability and uptake, including engaging with the care team and promoting awareness of life stories, ensuring suitability to the acute environment (eg, distilling information in an easily digestible way), and addressing concerns for patient capacity and privacy (eg, engaging care partners when appropriate). Thoughts on potential impacts of life stories were also elicited, including improving patient- and care partner-IDT member relationships; humanizing patients; increasing clinical team, patient, and caregiver satisfaction; and enabling more specific, tailored care for patients with dementia and at risk of delirium. CONCLUSIONS: This study resulted in a co-designed life storytelling intervention for patients with dementia and at risk for delirium in an acute care hospital setting. Stakeholders provided valuable information to ensure future intervention acceptability and uptake, including potential benefits, facilitators, and challenges in the acute care setting.

Digital Stories Created by Children With Advanced Cancer.

Background: Legacy building is a priority for pediatric oncology. Storytelling is one strategy to help children document their legacies. Understanding story content would advance knowledge of how children want to be remembered but this has yet to be explored. This study explored content of digital stories created by children with advanced cancer. Method: Facebook advertisements were used to recruit families of children (7-17) with relapsed/refractory cancer to participate in a randomized controlled trial testing a legacy intervention through storytelling. Parent-child dyads (N = 150) were randomly assigned to an intervention or usual care group. A web program guided children to answer legacy questions and upload photographs, movies, and music. Families received the final digital stories. Experienced qualitative coders developed a hierarchical coding system to identify major categories/subcategories within 78 stories. Results: Stories included 1,516 unique story entries, including text, photographs, and movies. Two major categories emerged from the data: (a) story entry medium and (b) story content. Photographs frequently reflected people, objects, pets, and places while text often described personal preferences, goals, dreams, and other people. The story content overall included references to (a) people, (b) setting/location, (c) cancer, (d) objects/activities, and (e) expression of emotions/beliefs. Exemplar quotes, counts, and frequencies for each category are reported. Discussion: Children documented their legacies through stories that emphasized the value of family relationships and children's desires to be known for personal traits/preferences. Children chose to include cancer in their stories, indicating that cancer is a part of how children perceive their legacies. Registration Number: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04059393.

Storytelling to support legacy making for bereaved parents of children with cancer.

Honoring a child's legacy is an essential aspect of meaning-making for bereaved parents, yet little is known about storytelling as a mechanism. Through narrative analysis of 19 bereaved parent interviews focused on legacy, we examined the role of storytelling in creating and sustaining legacy. Most participants (89%) told stories centered around the child's impact and parent's coping, including the child's character and interpersonal relationships during and after their lifetime as well as how the child's legacy influenced parents' grief experiences. Future research is needed to explore the potential impact of storytelling initiatives to support legacy-making for bereaved caregivers.

Pediatric oncology caregiving as narrative repair: Restor(y)ing disrupted family biographies and damaged moral identities.

Drawing on Arthur Frank's conceptualization of narrative repair, we consider how pediatric oncology nurses restore and re-story the narratives of patients and families whose biographies have been thrown off course by the diagnosis and death of a child from cancer, as well as their own narratives as caregivers. Frank argued that when one's life story is shipwrecked by chronic or life-threatening illness, storytelling is way to reorient one's biography to a new ending, repairing the narrative wreckage created by the illness experience. In this critical narrative study with nine pediatric oncology nurses in Ontario, Canada, we highlight how, through physical, narrative, and moral proximity, nurses become entwined in their patients' and families' illness narratives, and how developing this narrative knowledge provides nurses with opportunities to steer families onto new terrain. As well, we examine how nurses re-story and repair their own identities as "good" caregivers in situations when they are prevented from acting on behalf of their pediatric cancer patients. These findings contribute to literature on illness narratives by considering narrative repair as a relational process enacted as part of pediatric oncology caregiving.

Medical Error: Using Storytelling and Reflection to Impact Error Response Factors in Family Medicine Residents.

I am a healer, yet sometimes I do more harm than good…David Hilfiker, 1984. Objectives: Medical error is common and significantly impacts patients, physicians, learners, and public perception of the medical system; however, residents receive little formal training on this topic. Research on error response in practicing physicians is limited, and even more so on medical education interventions to improve this. This study evaluates a curriculum developed to foster the sharing of faculty medical error stories, practice of constructive coping strategies, and growth in resident confidence in managing error. Methods: Researchers identified factors related to effective physician error management and recovery to develop a targeted intervention for family medicine residents. The intervention consisted of three one hour didactic sessions in a medium-sized midwestern, urban family medicine residency program over the course of 6 months. Instructional methods included guided reflection after mentor storytelling, small group discussion, role play, and self-reflection. Results: Of the 30 residents, 22 (73%) completed the preintervention survey, and 15 (50%) completed the postintervention survey. While most residents reported having experienced error (55%), fewer than half of the residents reported they knew what to do when faced with medical errors (46%). This increased to 93% after intervention. Personal error stories from mentors were the most desired type of training reported by residents preintervention, but this was surpassed by legal and malpractice concerns in the postintervention survey. Rates of reported error story sharing increased after the intervention. Residents reported self-efficacy (I can be honest about errors) and self-awareness (I acknowledge when I am at increased risk for error) also increased with intervention. However, these changes did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Family medicine residents are receptive to learning from peers and mentors about error management and recovery. A brief intervention can impact the culture around disclosure and support. Future research should focus on the impact of targeted interventions on patient-oriented outcomes related to medical error.

Using Digital Storytelling and Social Media to Combat COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Public Service Social Marketing Campaign.

Disparities in vaccine confidence and uptake among racial and ethnic minorities have resulted in a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 in these populations. Social media campaigns have shown promise in public health promotion and behavioral interventions. In January 2022, an academic-community partnership launched #Vax4Community, a 6-month social media campaign centered around the use of digital storytelling videos. The campaign purpose was to decrease vaccine hesitancy, combat vaccine misinformation and disinformation, and increase vaccine confidence within three distinct target communities: the justice-involved population, South Asian residents, and public housing youth in the metropolitan area of New York City (NYC). Our approach included the production and dissemination of digital storytelling videos featuring personal vaccine experiences from target populations. We evaluated key performance indicators (KPIs) of the campaign, including post impressions, reach and engagement across social media platforms, and shares from partner organizations. Overall, we received 1,910,662 post impressions, 699,722 unique users reached, and 2,880 post engagements across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and 147 shares from 48 partner organizations. Social media campaigns require strategic design in branding, messaging and outreach channels and could serve as an important tool to disseminate emotionally relatable content and trusted information to prime target populations to respond more optimally to public health interventions. The purpose of this paper is to describe the process of creating and disseminating these digital stories and the KPIs of the social media campaign.

Assessing and recovering Alzheimer's disease: a comparative analysis of standard neuropsychological approaches and virtual reality interventions with the use of digital storytelling.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that predominantly affects the elderly population. Traditional assessment methods, including neuropsychological tests like the MMSE, have been the cornerstone of AD diagnosis for decades. These methods are grounded in a wealth of research and clinical experience, providing a robust framework for understanding the cognitive deficits of AD. The evolution of AD assessment and rehabilitation has recently been tackled with the introduction of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies. Objectives: To evaluate the use of storytelling and reminiscence therapy in virtual reality programs as a complementary and enhancing modality alongside standard assessment and rehabilitation for Alzheimer's patients. To explore how regular interaction with VR narratives can slow cognitive decline or improve relevant features of cognitive functioning over the time. To propose a new assessment and rehabilitative tool based on the use of VR and digital storytelling. Method: A comparative analysis of Standard Neuropsychological Approaches and Virtual Reality Interventions in patients with Alzheimer disorder was carried out. A literature overview on the empirical studies between 2019 and 2024 was conducted. Results: We propose a new VR-based setup mediated by the use of storytelling for the assessment and recovery of AD. Conclusion: The employment of storytelling within VR programs for the assessment and rehabilitation of Alzheimer's disease can positively impact both the cognitive and emotional realms of patients, with beneficial outcomes on caregivers' and families' burden. The successful implementation of this approach requires careful consideration of accessibility, data interpretation, and standard validation protocols.

Reading Between the Lines: An Exploratory Pilot Study of a Co-creation Approach to Life Story Work in Aged Care in Australia.

Life story work (LSW) uses a narrative, reminiscence approach to capturing memories from one's life and has shown positive outcomes for participants. However, LSW in aged care has been criticized for being resource intensive, often involving care staff using pre-determined process and output formats. This pilot study explored participants' lived experiences of a novel co-creation approach to LSW conducted predominantly with university students and older adults in residential aged care and retirement communities, producing multi-modal outputs. Within a 12-month period, 33 LSW projects were completed (21 books, 5 posters, and 7 digital stories). Semi-structured interviews (n = 44) explored participants' lived experience of completing a LSW project. Findings indicate that working with students and adopting a flexible, co-creation approach that empowers participants to make decisions, engage in learning and reflection, and build meaningful relationships can maximize opportunities for transformative impacts, and enable providers to offer a LSW program despite finite resources.

Using Digital Storytelling as an Evaluation Tool.

Digital storytelling is an innovative approach that evaluators can adopt to expand their dissemination efforts. The stories use brief audio and video recordings, and they can be used to provide reflections on the perceived value, experiences, or impact of public health efforts. We offer tips for evaluators to add this tool to their portfolio using several traditional evaluation data collection techniques. We also discuss a series of planning considerations and lessons learned based on the experiences of an evaluation of a research capacity-building initiative.

"I Can Feel It in My Spine": Indigenous Women's Embodied Experiences of Violence and Healing.

This article draws on the stories told by Indigenous women in the midwestern United States to explore embodied experiences of violence and how they conceptualize healing in the aftermath of violence. Two focus groups-conducted as talking circles-were completed with 16 Indigenous women. Findings highlight four salient themes: embodied impacts of violence; normalization of violence; (im)possibilities of healing; and strategies for healing. In particular, the women highlighted embodied practices like collective storytelling as a means of healing. This study deepens our understanding of violence against women by promoting Indigenous ways of knowing and uplifting the voices of Indigenous women.

The Use of Injury and Fatality Narratives to Convey Agricultural Safety and Health Messages and to Develop Effective Resources Through Collaborative, Multi-Disciplinary Approaches (Tell a Story, Save a Life).

OBJECTIVE: Storytelling engages audiences, passes down traditions and history, educates, and helps people understand and interpret their environment. Many of those who work in agriculture have been part of the storytelling tradition since childhood. Research has demonstrated the emotional impact of personal stories and how prevention information is conveyed effectively "farmer to farmer" through this method of communication. METHODS: Since 2016, the Telling the Story Project has provided a space for those directly or indirectly involved in an agricultural incident to share their story and unique perspectives on how similar incidents can be avoided. RESULTS: This collaborative project, developed between the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Agriculture Safety Centers, has resulted in 11 stories on a dedicated website, safety and health resources, and educational guides. The stories and educational guidelines have been marketed extensively through traditional and social media sources, employed in safety training, and embraced by educators in agricultural programs. The website has provided a national and international reach with more than 35,000 visits. CONCLUSION: Qualitative thematic analysis of the stories provided data on the circumstances leading up to each incident, valuable information on how the storytellers interpreted the aftermath, and a novel perspective on how safety professionals can create messaging that will resonate with the farming community.

Storytelling changes the content and perceived value of event memories.

Memories are not only stored for personal recall, but also to communicate knowledge to others in service of adaptive decision-making. Prior research shows that goals to share information can change which content is communicated in memory as well as the linguistic style embedded in this communication. Yet, little is known as to how communication-related alterations in memory narration drive differences of value processing in listeners. Here, we test how memory communication alters multi-featural recall for complex events and the downstream consequence on value estimations in naïve listeners. Participants recalled a memory of playing an exploratory videogame at a 24-h delay under instructions to either share (i.e., social condition) or recall (i.e., control condition) their memory. Sharing goals systematically altered the content and linguistic style of recall, such that narrators from the social condition were biased towards recall of non-episodic details and communicated their memories with more clout, less formality, and less authenticity. Across two independent samples of naïve listeners, these features differentially influenced value estimations of the video game. We found that greater clout was associated with greater enjoyment while listening to memories (hedonic value), and that greater inclusion of non-episodic details resulted in greater willingness to purchase the video game (motivational drive). These findings indicate that sharing an experience as a story can change the content and linguistic tone of memory recall, which in turn shape perceived value in naïve listeners.

Autobiographical Storytelling in Patients with Mild Alzheimer's Disease: Focused, Reflected, and Entertaining; A Comparative Study.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed whether individuals with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD), despite some deficits in autobiographical memory, could effectively convey their personal experiences through storytelling. METHODS: We invited 37 individuals with mild AD and 37 control participants to share their personal experiences. We rated these narratives based on five characteristics of storytelling: focus, reflection, entertainment, structure, and specificity. RESULTS: Analyses demonstrated that individuals with AD conveyed more general than specific memories, and no significant differences were observed between structured and unstructured memories. Importantly, individuals with AD recounted more memories with focus than without, with reflection than without, and that were entertaining than were not. Compared with those of the control participants, the narratives of the individuals with AD were less focused, structured, and specific. However, no significant differences were observed between the two samples regarding reflection or entertainment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Individuals with mild AD can have difficulties in retrieving specific memories, but their storytelling of personal experience can be focused, exhibit reflection, and be entertaining. Individuals with mild AD can engage in reflective and entertaining autobiographical storytelling, potentially contributing to their sense of identity and connection with others.

Transformative and therapeutic benefits of digital storytelling: a phenomenological lifeworlds study of Patient Voices participant experiences.

BACKGROUND: References to transformative and therapeutic benefits of digital storytelling are often made, yet this remains an under-explored area, which we foreground in this study. METHODS: A phenomenological research design was adopted to explore through interview how a purposive sample of Patient Voices storytellers experienced participation in more than one digital storytelling workshop. Analysis was through thematic coding, linguistic analysis and use of van Manen's lifeworld existentials framework. RESULTS: We find that for this particular group, the therapeutic and transformative experiences that re-centre and re-frame personal meaning do so through inter-personal connections and can be understood as a process of social learning. The lifeworld existentials analysis demonstrates that a pluralist and relational conception of wellbeing holds and there is a close relationship between this and Yalom's 11 therapeutic factors. CONCLUSIONS: Drawing on group analytic literature, we suggest the concept of a social learning methodology as useful in grounding further research that seeks to understand the beneficial impacts of digital storytelling methodologies in healthcare and in contributing evidence in this field with fidelity to the lived experience as central.